Darkness, Silence, Siblings
by The Cat Whiskers
Summary: SkyClan's medicine cat speaks of a prophecy before he passes away, promising darkness to the Clan in the form of kits. So when Sageberry's kits are born hell is broke lose - everyone is desperate to find the evil - there is only one saviour.. - No good at summaries, title is terrible. Please R
1. Cats of the Clan

**SkyClan**

**Leader:** Fernstar is a long furred cream and brown she-cat.  
**Deputy:** Ottersplash is a wiry brown tom.  
**Medicine Cat:** Lillyfur is a cream she-cat with brown and black speckles.

**Warriors:**  
Snowpelt is a white and grey tom.  
Windsong is a light grey she-cat.  
Galefur is a long furred white tom.  
Hazelcloud is a mouse brown she-cat with white paws.  
Badgerstrike is a tom with short wiry black and white fur.  
Willowbreeze is a dark grey she-cat.  
Firefoot is a ginger tabby tom.  
Gingerstripe is a ginger and white she-cat.  
Pinefrost is a mottled brown she-cat.  
Smokeflight is a grey tom.  
Foxtooth is a russet tom with protruding teeth.  
Wolfheart is a large grey tom.  
Cinderleap is a pale grey she-cat.  
Cedarclaw is a tricoloured she-cat.  
Meadowheart is a she-cat with long, tawny fur.  
Grovestep is a tom with short orange and black fur.  
Jaystone is a tom with short black fur and no tail.  
Blackstorm is a black tom with white paws.  
Pondflower is a grey tabby she-cat.  
Eagleheart – tom with long white and tawny fur.

**Apprentices:**  
Cloverpaw (Cloverwing) is a she-cat with short, brown and white tabby striped fur.  
Oakpaw (Oakstep) is a light brown tom.  
Bearpaw (Beartail) is a tom with short brown fur and a stubby tail.  
Beaverpaw (Beaverpelt) is short furred brown tom.  
Darkpaw (Darkspots) is a white tom with black spots.  
Swanpaw (Swanfeather) is a long furred white she-cat.  
Birdpaw (Birdflight) is a silver she-cat.

**Queens:**  
Embersky is a russet she-cat with black markings. (Expecting)  
Roseclaw is a golden brown she-cat with white paws. (Kitted)  
Sageberry is a tawny she-cat. (Kitted)  
Raindapple is a she-cat with medium grey and white fur. (Kitted)  
Brooksong is a brown tabby she-cat. (Expecting)

**Kits:**  
Coonkit is a grey tom with black stripes.  
Shadekit is a dark grey she-cat.  
Fishkit is a light grey lithe tom.  
Pebblekit is a light grey she-cat with darker dapples. -Raindapple.

Applekit is a cream she-cat with golden brown markings.  
Sunkit is a cream she-cat. -Roseclaw.

Yellowkit is a light tawny she-cat with white paws.  
Grasspaw is a black tom with white paws.  
Mudkit is a tawny tom.  
Tawnykit is a pretty tawny she-cat. -Sageberry.

**Elders:**  
Gorsetail is a mottled tom.  
Flashstar is a golden brown tom.


	2. Words of Whitepool

The frosty wind tugged at my long pelt as I climbed to the rocky outcrop to call a Clan meeting. The sky was a murky grey and dark clouds promised a thunderstorm sooner or later. As I stood proudly and looked over my Clan I saw as they huddled together, the leaf-bare was cold and harsh and the bare trees provided to comfort from the nippy winds that came from the moors. Suddenly everyone was hushed and I turned to see Snowpelt and Windsong emerge from the medicine cat den, supporting the frail Whitepool to stand before me. Our medicine cat was weak with age, hunger and fever and nobody could do anything for him, death was certain.

My heart ached as I watched him wheeze, struggling to stand. Whitepool had been my apprentice friend before he chose the medicine cat life, he had helped me through countless situations and supported me from start to finish. Loosing him would be devastating to both me, and the Clan.  
"Whitepool," I greeted him with a warm smile and a dip of the head, "you asked to speak before the Clan?"  
The thin grey tom looked up at me with dull green eyes, his once well groomed fur was matted and lined with dust and dirt. I felt a pang of sympathy in my heart for my old friend.  
"SkyClan has been my home for many years, and I would hate for anything to happen to my Clan..that is why I must warn you, all of you, of a rising danger."  
Murmurs of curiosity rose from the cats below me, they gazed at eachother with puzzled faces. Whitepool was a wise and thoughtful cat, and if he thought something was wrong, the warning should be taken seriously. I waved my tail for silence, "Continue, Whitepool."  
"Some moon or so ago, I received a pro-" he began before breaking off in to a coughing fit. Lillyfur rushed to her mentors side with a ball of wet moss, whispering some words of encouragement and laying her tail on his flank comfortingly. Whitepool nodded his thanks and went on, "I recieved a propechy from StarClan. I did not bother to speak of it for I thought it would upset and frighten; but they have warned me that my time is short and..I must tell you now."  
My Clanmates peered down at their paws and some kneaded them in to the ground, I myself felt uncomfortable with my friend talking about his death. But I knew my Clan needed to come first. I commanded him to tell us the prophecy.

"Four from one nest;  
Two will fall,  
Two will stand,  
One pure, one not,  
Secrets will be unleashed,  
A blunder will devastate,  
Some must fight for the good,  
Or darkness will triumph all."

Raindapple hissed and wrapped her tail around her four kits, and Sageberry placed her paws defensively over her bulging stomach. Cats were panicking, and the talking started up again. I called for silence and turned to Whitepool, questioning him,  
"What is the meaning of this prophecy?"

He shook his head sadly and his eyes fell to his paws, breathing heavily. Lillyfur stepped forward and asked to address the Clan, which I granted. The pretty she-cat, my sister, leaped to stand besides me.  
"It is to do with siblings; four to be exact, and one may hide a darker side?" she suggested. A few voices mewed in approval, including Whitepool.  
"What about the last lines?" called the queen who had protected her kits earlier, her voice threatening to break in to a wail. Lillyfur shrugged helplessly, but it seemed obvious to me that something sinister was coming to the Clans, and the rest would have to be discovered and stopped as it happened.

I waved my tail for attention and the murmurs, whispers, meows and wails stopped. Everyone gazed up at me expectantly, except for my ill medicine cat who threatened to collapse in the cold air and moment.  
"We will discuss this later," I spoke loudly and clearly, trying to hide my confusion. "but for now return to your warrior duties, and thankyou for sharing with us Whitepool. This Clan meeting has ended."

I watched with great sadness as they helped my dearest friend wobble back to his den, wheezing and coughing as he went. I nodded thanks to my sister who disappeared after him, probably to help him in to his nest. The rest of the Clan seemed to continue as normal, some she-cat's were gossiping and kits play-fought; a smile spread across my face. Atleast my Clan was healthy and strong, that's all that mattered.


	3. A new Bird

"And from this day forward, this apprentice shall be known as Birdpaw. Lillyfur, do you accept Birdpaw to be your apprentice?" Fernstar's voice rang clearly out in to the winter's air.

I waited eagerly for Lillyfur's response; my paws itching with anticipation. Every heartbeat seemed like an eternity and went be so very slow..

"I do." Lillyfur replied cooly and curtly. A silly grin spread across my face.

"Then may you share your knowledge of herbs and wisdom of StarClan with this promising young apprentice." Fernstar nodded and turned to face me and my new mentor. I shivered with excitement as I padded forwards and touched noses with the pretty she-cat. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my friends and siblings grinning, my parents were almost glowing with pride.

"Birdpaw! Birdpaw! Birdpaw!" my Clan cheered my new name and a wave of happiness spread over me. My sister Swanpaw rushed up to me and and licked my cheek, Darkpaw just smiled and nodded his head.

"Finally, more apprentices - now we don't have to clean out the elder's bedding as much!" exclaimed Oakpaw. Him and Darkpaw got in to a discussion about how boring it was, and Swanpaw soon joined in.

The excitement had died down, and most of the cats were heading back to their dens or heading out to patrol the borders.

"Birdpaw, are you coming?" a voice behind me called. I turned to see Lillyfur stood outside the medicine den expectantly.

"Sure! Just one second!" I mewed a reply, turning back to the other apprentices who were now deeply in conversation about who could catch the biggest piece of prey.

Swanpaw's mentor called for her to go on a border patrol and the two toms were sent to clean the elder's den. I mewed my goodbye and they waved their tails in reply, leaving me with a smile across my face as I leaped to my new den to start training.

A sweet smell of herbs and poulitices welcomed me and the gentle trickle of the little stream that ran through the back of the den echoed and made a beautiful song, and yet again a smile spread across my face.

"Okay, we'll start with what herbs you know and their uses.." Lillyfur said as she emerged from the darkness of the den.

"Erm, cobwebs?" I questioned my mentor who nodded her head slowly in encouragement. "They stop bleeding."  
I hung my head slowly - every cat knew that, even the kits did. It was the most common treatment of wounds and if I was to become any sort of medicine cat, I'd have to be better than that!  
"Any others?" she mewed softly, her beautiful eyes non-judgemental. I smiled nervously and racked my brains for any knowledge about herbs.

"Catmint!" I exclaimed suddenly. "It cures greencough!"  
"Good," Lillyfur purred and nodded approvingly. "you have some knowledge of herbs. Follow me, and I'll teach you some of the simple and more basic plants first."

I spent the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon learning about some other herbs. I was exhausted by the time I was allowed to go outside and have some food. After collecting a plump looking mouse I flopped down next to Cloverpaw and ate, waiting for the other's to return.

Darkpaw and Oakpaw came first and settled down with us, complaining about their dull day and Swanpaw sat down next talking about how big the mouse she caught was. We were having quite a nice conversation when suddenly a yowl erupted from the nursery and I saw my mentor appear from the medicine cat den and beckon me with her tail. I leaped over my sister's head and followed Lillyfur in to the nursery.

It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the light before I could see Sageberry lying on her side screeching in clear agony. The queens who had already kitted took their litters outside and Brooksong and Embersky went with them. Lillyfur instructed me to give the tawny queen a stick to bite on and to then lick the kits fur backwards when they are born. It seemed easy enough and I positioned myself.

"Okay here comes the first one!" called Lillyfur. The first kit dropped to the floor and I quickly licked it's soaked fur backwards and told them that it was a she-cat.  
The next kit quickly followed and the third kit was almost right behind it. I called two toms and placed them with their sister at their mother's stomach. The final kit took a bit longer and I had to assist Sageberry by pulling it gently out. It seemed so much smaller than the others and I gave it an extra couple licks and settled it in the middle of the four kits.

Two tawny shadows were running but they never seemed to move. The other shadows seemed to grow and were running circles around eachother but they just stayed put and were slowly fading away. I tried to grasp them but they were disappearing slowly, a wail of sadness and then laughter.

"Birdpaw!" cried Lillyfur. I pulled away from the kits to realise my mentor was gone. I smiled and nodded to the young queen and left the nursery quickly to find Lillyfur announcing to the Clan of the new arrivals, and everyone seemed to smile and cheer but it was all over almost as quickly as it began. The sun was beginning to fall behind the bare trees and the camp was lit with a dim orange light and I started for the medicine cat den with my tail drooping. I had only been an apprentice one day and I'd learned so many new herbs, delivered a litter of kits and had a possible vision - I was falling asleep on my paws! I sunk in to my nest and quickly fell in to a slumber.


End file.
